Method for preventing the splitting of the calyx of flowers e.g. of carnations



Jan. 21, 1969 VORST ET AL 3,422,570

METHOD FOR PREVENTING THE SPLITTING OF THE CALYX OFFLOWERS E.G. OF CARNATIO'NS Filed Oct. 21, 1966 United States Patent 3,422,570 METHOD FOR PREVENTING THE SPLITTING OF THE CALYX OF FLOWERS E.G. OF CARNATIONS Herman Louis Vorst, Merellaan 1, The Hague, and Gijsbertus Hendricus Borst, Langeraarseweg 31, Langeraar, Netherlands Filed Oct. 21, 1966, Ser. No. 588,364 US. Cl. 47-55 Int. Cl. A01g 5/00, 1/00 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Our invention relates to a device for fixing the circumference of a flower-bud such as of a carnation or the like, which device may be called a flower-bud clamp.

It is generally known in the art that, for instance, in nursing carnations a splitting of the sepals (calyx) will frequently occur during the bursting of the flower-buds, which causes a considerable devaluation of the trading quality of the flowers in question.

There are devices on the market manily consisting of a green-coloured protecting plate, with which the splitted sepals can be repaired to a certain extent. Nevertheless, such repaired flowers remain less attractive and will always be much lower in price than the flowers without split sepals.

For preventing the said splitting, devices have been proposed comprising a resilient member consisting of a coil or ring of metallic wire or other suitable inextensible material, but such devices also show various drawbacks.

They only fit to buds of a very narrow range of sizes and cannot readily be fitted to a different size. Moreover, direct contact between the sepal and a metal clamp frequently results in a local brown discoloration of the sepal. In some nurseries use is made of the ribbon-shaped material which is used extensively in agriculture and which consists mainly of paper or plastic ribbon reinforced by a metal wire. A certain length of such a ribbon is put around a flower bud and the two extremities are twisted together so that the ribbon will form a definite ring. However, such a twisting action should be carried out carefully in order to prevent damage to the flower-bud and therefore is time-consuming and expensive as regards labour costs. v

The object of our invention is to provide an improved device which prevents the splitting of the sepals and which can be readily fixed to all sizes of buds.

The device according to our invention thus comprises a ribbon-like member which is adjustable to size and the improvement consists in that the said ribbon-like member is made of resilient and substantially inextensi-ble material and is provided, at both of its extremities, with cooperating adjustable locking means and at the side which is to be turned towards the flower-bud is further provided with a lining of a compressible and resilient material such as foam plastic or the like.

The ring member of resilient and substantially inextensible material may be made of a strong kind of artificial resin such as rigid polyvinylchloride, polyethylene, poly- "ice propopylene, polyamide, polyether, polymethylmetacrylate and the like. Preferably, it is made of metal, such as iron coated with tin, cadmium, chrome or the like.

The ring member adjustable to size gives the strength to the clamp and the compressible lining gives the clamping action without causing any damage to the sepals, the combination giving the required effect.

By applying such a flower-bud clamp, the splitting of the sepals during the bursting of the buds is fully prevented. It has been found that during the further development of the flower the device loosens from the bud and glides down along the stem of the flower, so that it can easily be removed and be used again.

The clamp may be arranged before the flower-bud shows signs of bursting open but, preferably, it is arranged, when the flower already shows the first signs of opening. In the latter case the clamp will be there for some 5 to '12 days. In order that this invention may be clearly understood and more readily be carried out in practice, reference may be had to the annexed drawing in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a device according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a device according to the present invention in position around a flower-bud;

FIG. 3 illustrates the device in stretched condition with a modified lining;

FIG. 4 is a further modification of this invention.

In a convenient embodiment of the present invention and with reference to FIGURE 1 the device for fixing the circumference of a flower-bud, e.g. a carnation bud, consists of a suitable length of ribbon 1 of a resilient material such as metal, which at the side which has to be turned towards the flower-bud is covered with a lining 2 of a compressible and resilient material such as foam plastic or the like with a thickness of 3-4 mm. The ribbon 1, which has a width of about 8 mm., may be bent in the form of a ring and fixed in that position by locking means provided at both of its extremities, consisting of a hookshaped part 3 and incisions, excavations or openings 4.

In FIG. 2 it is clearly illustrated in which way the device according to the present invention is placed in position.

The device is placed around the bud when the bursting starts and it has to stay there for about five to twelve days. When the flower has left the bud the circumference of the calyx will shrink and the device will slip down and hang around the stern. It can easily be removed by unlocking the ribbon and be re-used for another flower-bud.

FIG. 3 gives the device in stretched condition clearly showing the ribbon 1 with the hook-shaped part 3 and the openings 4; however, in this embodiment the lining of foam plastic 2 extends beyond the borders 5 and 6 of the ribbon 2 in order to prevent the sharp edges of these borders from damaging the sepals.

The ribbon 1 can be made of stainless steel, but it stands to reason that with a view to the cost-price it is recommended to use cheaper material such as steel that is coated with cadmium or tin.

FIG. 4 gives another modification of the device in stretched condition, whereby the locking means at both of the extremities of the ribbon 1 consist of lips 7 which cooperate with excisions 8.

In this embodiment, the lining of ribbon 1 consists of pieces of foam plastic 9, with interstices in between, and an extra piece of foam plastic 10.

Having thus described the invention and manner of its operation what we claim as our invention is:

What we claim is:

1. A device for fixing the circumference of a flowerbud of a carnation and the like and comprising a ribbonlike member of a resilient and substantially inextensible material, cooperating locking means on both extremities of said ribbon-like member for lockingly and detachably securing the ribbon-like member around a flower-bud, said locking means being adjustable to vary the diameter of the secured ribbon-like member, and a lining of pieces of a compressible resilient foam plastic material regularly divided on the face of the ribbon-like member facing the flower-bud to provide a cushion between the bud and the ribbon-like member when the member is secured around the flower-bud.

2. Device for fixing the circumference of a flower-bud, as claimed in claim 1, in Which the lining of a compressible and resilient material such as foam plastic or the like extends beyond the borders of the ribbon-like member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 9/ 1906 Maxfield 475 5 2/1932 Weber 4743 10/1938 Wade 4747 11/1958 Robins 128156 11/1951 Ise 4742 8/ 1962 Vlareminck 47--7 XR 10 ROBERT E. BAGWILL, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

